Plastic waste is one of the prominent waste materials which is dumped in huge quantities every day. About over 10,000 tonnes of plastic waste remains uncollected daily. This uncollected plastic waste eventually ends up in the natural environment- in our seas and oceans or piling up on land. The Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 were an attempt to improve legislation, and state that every local body has to be responsible for setting up infrastructure for segregation, collection, processing and disposal of plastic waste. Additionally, the rules, amended in 2018, introduced the concept of extended producer responsibility, according to which the producers (manufacturers, importers and those using plastic in packaging) as well as brand owners would be held responsible for collecting the waste their products generate.
The waste generation in Nagpur city is estimated to be around 1200 tonne tonnes per day. Of this, 60 per cent is estimated to be organic waste, 16 per cent is plastic waste, 11 per cent is paper waste, 11 per cent is wood, metal, glass and 2 per cent is inert material. The key to efficient waste management is to ensure proper segregation of waste at source and that the waste goes through different streams of recycling and resource recovery. Then reduced final residue is deposited scientifically in sanitary landfills. Sanitary landfills are the ultimate means of disposal for unutilised municipal solid waste from waste processing facilities and other types of inorganic waste that cannot be reused or recycled. Equi-City along with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is mobilizing the community for waste management by conducting sensitisation workshops for swachhta karmachari in Nagpur.
Waste Segregation Campaign for sanitary workers in Zone 2, Dharampeth
Equi-City team conducted Waste Segregation Campaign for sanitary workers on September 3, 2019 in Zone 2, Dharampeth. The objective of the campaign was to spread awareness on sanitation among people and to make them aware about the significance of waste segregation by distributing pamphlets and discussing issue of waste collection with people. The campaign took place at Yashwant Stadium in Nagpur. Shekhar Giradkar of Equi-City team led the campaign along with Anusuya Kale from Swachh Association and Jadhav, Sanitary Inspector and sensitised around 150 sanitary workers.
Health and Sanitation Campaign for sanitary workers and rag pickers at Bhandewadi dumping yard
Equi-City team in collaboration with doctors from Bhandewari Ayurvedic Hospital conducted Sanitation Awareness Campaign and Medical Camp on September 18, 2019. The objective of the campaign was to spread awareness towards health related issues mainly targeting the rag pickers and sanitary workers at Bhandewadi dumping site. Around 300 sanitary workers participated in the health check-up campaign. Equipment like shoes, gloves and masks were distributed to the participants.
Waste Segregation Campaign for sanitary workers in Zone 10, Mangalwari
On September 20, 2019, Equi-City team conducted Waste Segregation Campaign for sanitary workers at Mangalwari in Zone 10. The campaign aimed to spread awareness on sanitation among people and to sensitise them about waste segregation and cleanliness in Nagpur. Pamphlets were distributed to the sanitation workers in Zone 10, Mangalwari for sensitisation. The campaign took place at Durga Mandir where 150 sanitation workers participated. Shekhar Giradkar of Equi-City team led the campaign along with the Anusuya Kale from Swachh Association and Mahesh Bokare, Sanitary Inspector, who explained the importance of segregating waste and its resale value.
Waste Segregation Campaign for sanitary workers in Zone 7, Lakadganj
The Equi-City team along with NMC conducted a Waste Segregation Awareness Campaign, on September 24, 2019, at Lakadganj Zone for sanitation workers. Waman Kailkar, zonal officer and Dinesh Jadhav, Sanitory Inspector were present for the campaign. Shekhar Giradkar from Equi-City team addressed the sanitation workers and sensitised them on segregating waste at source. Around 200 sanitation workers participated.
Waste Segregation Campaign for sanitary workers in Zone 4, Dhantoli
The Equi-City team conducted Waste Segregation Campaign, on September 25, 2019, with the objective of promoting sanitation among people and generating awareness about waste segregation, mainly targeting the sanitation workers in Zone 4, Dhantoli. The campaign took place at Hanuman Mandir Garden where Shekhar Giradkar of Equi-City team interacted with the sanitation workers and asked them about the problems they are facing regarding solid waste collection. The Equi-City team sensitised approximately 250 sanitation workers about waste segregation.
Waste Segregation and Plastic Ban Campaign for sanitary workers in Zone 3, Hanuman Nagar
The Equi-City Team along with NMC conducted a Waste Segregation Awareness Campaign for sanitation workers on September 28, 2019, in Zone 3, Hanuman Nagar. Dinesh Kalode, Zonal Officer and Jamadar, Sanitary Inspector, were present at the campaign. Shekhar Giradkar of Equi-City team addressed the workers and sensitised them on waste segregation at source. The Equi-City team sensitised around 150 sanitation workers. Sanitation workers along with the Equi-City team and NMC officials took an oath to not to use plastic items and do everything in their capacity to reduce the use of plastic in future.
For Plastic Free India, Equi-City also took pledge from citizens – “I pledge to avoid single use plastic, to reuse or recycle the plastic that I do use, to educate others about plastic waste and to take actions to make plastic a thing of past.”
Information, education and communication (IEC) is a tool which will empower people to make decisions, modify behaviours and change social conditions. Equi-City activities are developed based upon needs assessments, identification of underlying social, cultural, economic and environmental conditions of each part of city and thus promoting specific behaviours that are desirable. Equi-City delivers information to people by various ways such as providing people with very clear information about solid waste management through pamphlet, banner, hoarding and slogan. Equi-City approaches individuals who are most important in the social structure of the community or who have some influence within the community, people whose opinions are respected, to work with us effectively and to serve as role models for desired behaviours and actions.
Civic bodies need to redefine long term vision in solid waste management and rework their strategies as per changing lifestyles. They should reinvent garbage management in cities so that we can process waste with adequate provisioning in processing and recycling. For this, households and institutions must segregate their waste at source so that it could be managed as a resource. Compost pits should be constructed in every locality to process organic waste.
Recovery of e-waste is abysmally low; we need to encourage recycling of e-waste on a very large scale so that problem of e-waste disposal is also contained. Community participation has a direct bearing on efficient waste management. Equi-City team will continue working for community mobilization in order to bring about a change in the society.